Electric switch.



A 770RNEY8 v Patented Dec. 3, mm. E. 8. 000K & W H. CHIPPERFIELD.

. ELECTRIC SWITCH.

(Appl atxon filedM 2 1901) (No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT @r'rrcn.

ENGLAND.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 687,9 16, datedDecember 3, 11901. Application filed March 22, 1901- $eria1No. 52,422.(No model.)

To all whom. it moty concern.-

. Be it known that we, EDWARD SAMUEL COOK, residing at No. 274 SouthLambeth road, and WILLIAM HOWARD CHIPPERFIELD, residing at No. 57Hampden road, Hornsey, London,England,subjects of the King of GreatBritain and Ireland, have invented new and useful Improvements inElectric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention has reference to electric switches whereby the circuit ismade and broken by a conductor attached to an insulating sliding piecewhich is moved into and out of position for completing the circuit by ahandle or thumb-piece or any of the wellknown means at present in use.

The objects of our invention are to prevent the sliding piece, andconsequently the conductor, being left in such a position that a leakageof the current would be caused between the conductor and thecontact-pieces when the lamp is shutoff; secondly, to reduce theliability of an are being set up between the said parts when they arenot in contact, and, thirdly, to render the switch more compact,durable, and less liable to get out of order. We attain these objects bythe mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure1 is a part plan of an ordinary wallswitch, showing the circuitcompleted. Fig. 2 is a similar plan with the circuit broken. Fig. 3 is alike view with the struts or studpieces in the center of their traveland showing the circuit still completed. Fig. 4 is a side elevation ofthe conductor and springpiece, which are attached to the sliding piece,the spring showing the hole for receiving the end of the strut orstud-piece. Fig. 5 isa plan of a form of strut or stud-piece suitablefor use when the conductor and spring are in two separate pieces, asshown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of a switch asapplied to an incandescent electric-lamp holder and showing the circuitcompleted. Fig. 7 is a similar view with the circuit broken. Fig. 8 is avertical section at right angles to Figs. 6 and 7 and showing the strutsor stud-pieces in the center of their travel with the circuit broken.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The walls of the slot or recess in the bed of the switch,vvithin whichthe moving or sliding piece 1, carrying the conductor 2, moves, havesuitably-shaped recesses or indents 3, within which move stud-pieces orstruts 4, of metal or other suitable material. One end 5 of thesestud-pieces or struts takes into a slot or hole 6 in the arms of aspring-piece 7, which may or may not, as desired, be the conductor. Inlamps of considerable power it is desirable to have the conductor andspring in two separate pieces to insure a more perfect make and break ofthe current, but in lamps of small power the spring-piece may be theconductor, as shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8. The other end 8 of the strutor stud-piece finds a bearing against the bottom of the recess or indent3. Thus when the conductor 2 and the spring-piece 7, when they areseparate, are carried along by the insulating sliding piece 1 toestablish contact the arms of the spring piece are forced in orcompressed by the struts or stud-pieces 4 as the latter are movedthrough the arc of a circle. When they are in the center of theirtravel, as shown in Fig. 3, the conductor 2 will then be in completecontact with the contact-pieces 9, and immediately they have passed thecenter of their travel the spring 7 will instantly force the struts orstud-pieces 4 back to the wall of the recess or indent 3 and the circuitfully completed, as shown in Fig. 1. When the circuit is to be broken,it is completely maintained until the struts-or stud-pieces 4 havepassed the center of their travel, when the spring 7 will againinstantly force them back to the opposite wall of the recess or indent3, and the circuit Will be completely and rapidly broken, as shown inFig. 2.

We are aware that prior to our invention moving insulating-piecescarrying springconductors capable of compression have been made, and wedo not claim such; but

What we do claim as our invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is

The combination with a base-piece having a central channel and recesseson each side thereof opening into the same, of fixed contacts on eachside of the channel, slidingcon- In Witness whereof we have hereunto settacts moving in the channel, struts movable our hands in presence of twowitnesses. 1n sa1d recesses and a connection between the EDWARD SAMUELCOOK.

struts and the movable contacts for automat- 5 ically forcing thecontacts to complete their CHIPPERFIELD' movement in either directionafter they have \Vitnesses: been partly moved into cut-out or out-in po-PERCY E. MATTOCKS, sition manually, substantially as described. H.MAYKEL.

